We have learned that both of the homes affected by the earthquake in Chile are being completely evacuated. Thank God, we are able to welcome the Little Sisters and elderly in our other three homes in Chile. So, while those from the older home in Santiago will be split between the newer home there and our community in Viña del Mar, those from Concepcion are on their way to Osorno.
Sister Maria emailed this touching message from Santiago (she is in the home that remains functional): “The Residents have been very generous here. Actually, after Mother told them that they would have to cooperate in making space for those from the other home in their rooms, the reactions varied greatly. Some really felt the sacrifice of having to share their room, while others couldn’t wait until lunch was over to go make space for someone. In the midst of helping move beds and other furniture in all the rooms in the infirmary, one of the Residents from my unit came pleading that I please go upstairs with her for a bit. She had emptied all but one drawer from her closet and chest of drawers and cleared out half of her hanging closet. She wanted my advice on how best to arrange her bed to fit in another. I was so touched by her charity that I cried. Then another Resident in that hall came to ask me to see her room too. There were so many literally thrilled to be able to make some sacrifice and contribution ‘because we have it so easy here compared to what we see in the news.’”
Sister Maria continues, “Tomorrow afternoon we plan to leave for Concepcion with flashlights, tons of batteries, bread and water. It sounds like we’re going camping… Most of our Residents from Concepcion have moved to our home in Osorno. They had been using what remained of the main dining room for everything—Mass, meals, space for the infirm Residents—but the fissure that ran down the center of the floor split completely open with the aftershock this afternoon. On the Richter scale it was almost a 6.0 earthquake. There’s no electricity there yet so I obviously don’t expect to email for some time… Like our Residents here I am very grateful and happy to be getting right into the thick of it. Thank you for your constant prayer…
Going to Chile’s Ground Zero